Cardinal Francisco Robles Ortega

With the appointment, Robles, who currently heads the Archdiocese of Monterrey, assumes the leadership of one of Latin America's most influential archdioceses: The Guadalajara seminary, for example, produces 1,500 priests annually.

Robles said he would be obedient and go to Guadalajara, but added, in comments published by the newspaper El Norte, "If you asked me, 'Listen: Which do you prefer?' I would say, 'I prefer to stay here (in Monterrey) and continue.'"

Guadalajara columnist Diego Petersen Farah describe Robles as a strong leader with conservative leanings – not unlike Sandoval – but also someone preferring to avoid strong public pronouncements that became commonplace with his predecessor.